The disgruntled father whose Sydney Harbour Bridge protest ground half of the city to a halt this morning was almost killed during an alleged bikie shootout last year.

Michael Fox, who went by the name "Mick" on two radio stations today, was caught up in an incident in April 2010 in which a high-ranking Nomads bikie was allegedly murdered.

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A 'very well planned' protestPolice Deputy Commissioner Dave Owens and Director of Transport Les Wielinga hold a press conference about the protester who closed the Harbour Bridge for several hours.

According to a media report on the ensuing court case, Mr Fox was shot and almost killed during the same incident in which Neil Green, sergeant-at-arms of the Riverstone Nomads chapter, was allegedly murdered.

In November last year, a man was charged with shooting with intent to kill Mr Fox.

Little else is known about the 38-year-old, who claims to have military training and was charged with a range of offences over today's protest.

Fox

We know that he has a broad Australian accent, closely-cropped dark brown hair, a muscular build and formidable abseiling skills.

When he phoned into two commercial radio stations this morning we learnt he separated from his wife or partner recently and felt he had been denied access to his children.

We understand he has two children and lives somewhere on Sydney's north shore.

Mr Fox told 2GB he would not go into the details of his personal situation to protect his children but he made reference to "parental alienation syndrome" on Triple M.

"I've asked for help ... so many times, no one wants to help the blokes; the chicks get in first and start throwing stones, the blokes don't stand a chance," he told the station's Grill Team.

Earlier he said: "I've had a pretty bad run through the separation ... I've tried to keep it as peaceful as possible."

A woman claiming to be a former girlfriend also phoned Triple M.

Mick Fox is arrested after abseiling down from the top of the Harbour Bridge. Photo: Brendan Esposito

She told listeners she had been friends with Mr Fox for "quite some time" and was his girlfriend for a period during the two years he has spent battling various authorities.

"I was with him for a lot of the time when he was trying to get in contact with DOCS [the Department of Community Services] and the police, purely because his kids were in danger every day," the woman, who did not give her name, told the Grill Team.

A spokesperson for Family and Community Services Minister Pru Goward said she would not be commenting on the incident as this case had not been raised with DOCS.

"The personal circumstances were very complex around this individual [but] it was not a DOCS matter," Deputy Commissioner Owens said.

The woman described Mr Fox as a "very straightforward kind of a guy who will do anything he can for his kids".

"They're the most important thing in his life and he's willing to do anything for them and obviously going up on the bridge, it's the next step that he felt he had to take," the woman said.

"He's the type of guy who really wouldn't care if he got charged, if he got put in jail, he wouldn't care," she continued.

"Even if he doesn't end up being able to get his kids [himself], he needs to get his kids out of their situation with their mother right now, because they are in danger every day that they are with her."

As for his claimed military background, Mr Fox told Triple M he had regularly climbed the bridge's southern pylons during training exercises "a few years back".

A woman named Dell, who said she was a friend and neighbour, said Mr Fox was a former special forces soldier who had served in Iraq.

Mr Fox made reference to serving overseas when asked whether he had tried going to the support group Dads in Distress.

"Blokes can get pretty proud, you don't necessarily reach out for help," he said on Triple M.

"I've been tarred by combat in over four continents so that's not the route that I've chosen but I do encourage others to go there."

The Department of Defence said that at this stage it was "not aware of his status" in the Australian Defence Force.

The woman also told the station he would not have intended to harm anyone during the protest.

"He's very, very, trained in what he does, and he knew exactly what he was doing and the last thing he would do would be endanger anybody else," she said.

Mr Fox said he left a note in his white truck asking police to close the bridge to ensure public safety.

"I do have un-lanyarded equipment with me which poses a hazard to any motorist underneath and I don't want anyone to get hurt in this," he said.

Toll reprieve

Sydney drivers stranded in the traffic chaos caused by the protester will be given a toll reprieve, the NSW government says.

Roads Minister Duncan Gay praised motorists for their patience after traffic came to a standstill when police closed the bridge as they dealt with the protester.

"As a measure of good faith, I have asked the RTA [Roads & Traffic Authority] to ensure only the off-peak toll charge of $2.50 applies to all vehicles using the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Tunnel [today] between 5.30am and 9.30am," Mr Gay said in a statement.

"There will also be no bus lane enforcements issued to motorists who were forced to use this lane during this time.

"I want to thank every person who was affected for their patience and understanding while emergency services carried out their investigations and negotiations to resolve the situation." - AAP